Railway switchover



Z1, 1%23. 1,465,312 E. OVEN RAILWAY SWITCHOVER 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 13 1922 IN VEN TOR.

TTORNEY.

Aug. 21, 1923. 1,465,312 E. OYEN RAIL AY SWITCHOVER Filed Jan. 13', 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 \s I N V EN TOR. N 154 71,?? flyen BY 7 W a, 09W

' ATTORNEY.

Aug. 21, 1923. I 1 4 65.312

E. OYEN RAILWAY SWITCHOVER Filed Jan. 15, 1922 a Sheets-Shet 3 IN VLNTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Aug. 2 1, 1 923.

. 1,465,312 E. OYEN RAILWAY SWITCHOVER Filed Jan. 15, 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 I N VEN TOR. E rZz'nj 0302 A TTORNE Y.

Aug. 21, 119%., 3 2653112 E. OYEN RAILWAY SWITCHOVER Filed Jan. 13. 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Z 7Zi72y Qyen BY 0 l I WM Q M ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 21 1923,

v mean-a PATENT ERLING OYEN', OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TODETROIT ELEVATED CORPORA- TION, OF DETROIT, BIIGHIGAN, A GORPDRATION 0F BIICHIGAN.

RAILWAY STR ITGHOVEB.

T0 (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERLING OYEN, a subiect of the King of Norway, residing at De troit, county of Viayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful lm provement in Railway Switchovers, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description oi the same such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a switch-over for a railway system in which, in addition to the traction rails, overhead guiding rails are provided. The obiect is to provide a switch .mechanism capable of simultaneously establishing or disestablishing the switch-over in both traction. and overhead rails.

A further object is to accomplish. the fore going purposes with a type. of construction in which the lateral stresses imposed on the overhead rails by the moving car will be taken up by the trestle work and track structure.

' ovhead switch-over adapted for simultaneous operation with the traction rail switch-over which overhead switch-over is of such a character that as the crossover rail needed .to make the switch is brought into position to establish the cross-over thecross-over rail not needed is moved out of the way so it will not interfere with the travel ofthe railway car and its overhead railway track engaging and collector mechanism/ A further object is in the accomplishment of the above purposes, the provision of a switch-over mechanismin which the overhead crossover rails are moved in a vertical plane and the lower traction rails are moved horizontally to make or break theswitch.

A further object is to provide a suitably balanced switch mechanism of sturdy construction whichis easy ofoperation and of such a character that the traction rail crossover and overhead guiding rail cross-over may be simultaneously actuated to establish or disestablish the cross-over.

These and other objects together Withdetails of construction w ll more fully appear trom the iollowing description, appended.

at the cross-over.

A further object is to provide a suitable .tions adapted to be moved Application filed J'anuary 13, 1922. Serial No. 528,898.

claims WhlCll Figure 1' is a plan and accompanying drawings, in

Fig. 2 is an elevation partly in section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevation partly in section of a part of the switch actuating mechanism.

Fig. 4c is a plan of the guiding rails at the switch-over.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation'partly broken away of the switch actuating mechanism for both upper and lower rails.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the main rocker arm.

Fig. 7 is a in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation porting standards for the main rocker arm.

Fig. 9 is a cross section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 7

Fig. 10 is a cross section taken on line 10-10 of Figs. 4 and 11.

11 is a cross section taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is an enlargedplan broken away of the rocker crank shown in Fig. 11.

Big. 13 is a section taken online 13-13 oi. Fig/1O.

Fig. 14- is a Fig. 10.

My railway system comprises a single traction rail and a pair of overhead guiding rails supported by a suitable trestle work. The

plan of the construction shown section taken on line 14.-14c of switch-over for the traction rails comprises a pair of laterally shiftable traction rail secto make or break the gap between the stationary traction rail sections. The switch-over for the overhead guiding rails comprises a pair of vertically movable guiding rail sections carried by a superstructure supported on the trestle Work over the guidingrails, said cross-over guiding rail sections disposed for individual vertical movement and adapted to be lowered into position to establish the crossover simultaneously with the lateral shifting of the corresponding cross-over sections for the traction rails.

In the drawing let 2Q (Fig. 1) indicate the single traction rail of the main line, and .21 a diverging traction rail, and 22 thecontinua view of the traction rails of one ofthe sup ed therewith by a cross-over rail. The

switch-over comprises two movable traction rail sections 23 and 24 pivoted at one end as shown in Fig. 1 at 25 in vertical alignment with the stationary rail of the main line and switch-line and movable from such pivot so that the free end may be moved to lie against the main rail 20 to form a continuous traction rail between the main rail section 20 and the diverging section 21 or the continuing main rail section 22.

Switchover rails 23 and 24 are connected for simultaneous lateral movement by means of a pivoted link 26 so that when section 23 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 1. to establish the switch between lines 20 and 21 the cross-over rail 24 is shifted to disestablish the connection between sections 20and 22.

The cross-over rails 23 and 24 may be actuated by means 01" a manually operable switch lever 27 shown in Fig. 5.130 which is secured one endoi" a link 2b. the opposite end of which link is connected with a lever crank 29 which is so mounted on an upright shaft 30 as to reciprocally rotate theshat't about its vertical. axis. This shaft 30 is suitably supported at one end having a bearing 3O at thelower end and near the upper end. Near the lower end is secured lever 3lto which is pivoted a link 32 which link is connected with one arm of a reducing hell crank 32. which crank has a bearing 32*. The other arm of the crank is linked up with the crossoverrails by means of a turnbuckle 33, and arm 34 which arm is pivoted directly to the rail. This construction is shown 1n Figs. 1. and 2 and provides suit able system of linkage whereby the crossover traction rail sections may be operated by the switch lever 2?. Either rail section will, when swung into place. he with its free end against the main line rail and the other end, being; pivoted in the vertical center plane otthe main rail. will torm a conned tion for the truck wheels to allow same to travel on said main line rail. The disestab- V lished switch rail section is then away from the main rail so as not to interfere: with the flanges of the wheels'passing. over the rail section which is in place for travel.

lVhen it is desired to switch a car over to a siding or to a rail diverging from the main .rail, the first-mentioned rail sect-ion is swungout from the position in which it is .Il1}LlIll1llRGCl when the main line is open for travel. I

ncously swung mto place so it will rest with [its free end aga1nst the main rail andthe other end being pivoted in the vertical plane of the diverging rail. it Wlll form a connection'between the main line and the diverging line. whereby the oil from the main line car will be switched and allowed to travel on-the'line diverging from this main line.

each havlng a The second rail section is simultae The first-mentioned rail section is then swung out far enough to provide free travel for the wheels without any obstruction of the wheel flanges.

The main rail is cutaway for short dis-, tance to permit of this clearance and is so shaped on its free end that it will insure smooth travel oi the wheels without any obstacles. One method used tor pivoting and operating the rail section is shown in the drawing, but it is understood that the detail construction for the operation of these rail sections will not be confined to this particularconstruction.

The upper end of shatt 30 isprovided with-a suitable bearing 35 in the superstructure, shown as broken away in Fig. 5. h lounted on the upper end of this shaft 30 is a bevel gear 37,which i sin mesh with a reduced bevel gear Gear 38 is mounted on a shaft 39, which hasa hearing at one end in theenclosing gear casing 40, and at the other endxis suitably supported bya. bracket 41. Mounted on shaft 39 to rotate therewith is an arm 42;. The. gear ratio is- .nection 44 with a crank shaft 45 which forms a part of the main rocker frame 11.! (Figs. 6 and 7) which frame is itself pivotally supported at opposite sides by means of corresponding projecting shaft ends 47 7 bearing in suitable supporting standards 48 so that the frame be rocked within its supports. A. turnbuckle connection 50 is shown. in Fig. 4 as connecting the link 43 with the link 44. It is apparent that this system. of linkage could be' widely varied without, departing from the invention. f

The rocker frame, 46 is mounted between the supports 48 for oscillatory rotation through an arc of 180 degrees when the switch lever is thrown in either direction. Frame 46 is provided with tour laterally pro jecting pivots 51, 52, 53 and 54 one at each corner as shown in. Fig. 6 and pivotally mounted on each pivot is a corresponding link. such links being indicated as 65, 56 57, and 58, Figs. 4,6 and 7. r

The opposite ends of these links engage rocker arms which. through suitable connections hereinafter described. serve to raise andlower the crossover rail sections for the overhead guiding rails. As the connecting links are each engaged with the main rocker frame it'will be seen thatthe cross-over rails will be operated simultaneously.

Thehverhead track system comprises, as

ations of the main linerails beyond the IClOSS-OVGI are indicated as .63 and 64. In

construction 59 and .61 form a continuous rail, and 60 and 64, the other outer rail, likewise form a oontinuousrail. The crossover rail section for the main line rails 59 10 I and 68 is indicated as 65, and the cross-over for the diverging rail 62 and .theqnain line rail 60 is indicated as 66. .The ends of the cross-over rails and stationary rails which theyengage are of course so'shaped that the movable rail sections come into place against the stationary rail sections in such amanner as to form a continuous rail connection. In Fig; l of the drawing, which is aplan ofthe overhead track structure, I have-used tor-the sake of convenience the above numerals as referring to the rails in their assembly with their supporting channel sections. In Fig. 10 where'therails proper are shown in crosssectiom'they are lndicated with suitable subletter a combinations, and the channel sections proper byv subletter b con'ibinations; Q

In Fig.10 ofthedrawing, rails 61 and 6%, shown incross section and supportedby channel beams 61 and 64- respectively, form a stationary part of the track system and serve as the outer stationary continuous rails, likewise shown in Fig. 4, and indi- "cated in assembly with the channel beam sections as59 and '61,"and 60andj64 respectively. The movable rails 65*and66 are -suitably carried by verticallylmovable rail tracks so as to establish or disestablish the crossoverffIn mounting these rail tracks Ihave provided for each track a superstructure guiding frame indicated as 67. These guiding frames are supported'by the cross members 49 f the trestle work and as there is a supporting truck or carriage provided for each end of the crossover rail there is a guiding frame positioned above each end of each crossover rail. These frames have vertically disposed fixed guiding rails 68 which are engaged by double flange truck wheels 69 which wheels are mounted in pairs on opposite sides of a carriage 70. Securely fastened to the under side of the carriage 70 is the channel beam section which carries the guiding rail. As shown in Fig. 11 the carriage 70 is illustrated as supporting the channel beam section 66 which carries the cross-over rail 66*.

Positioned above each carriage is a suitably mounted rocker crank 71 which, by means of a pivotally depending connecting rod 72, supports the carriage 70. The lower end of this connecting rod 72 is pivoted within a suitable cradle 73 fastened to the crank '71 is rocked.

This, therefore, provides a construction adapted to vertically reciprocate the carriage 70, as guided by the rail 68, when This rocking crank has a bearing between suitably supportedstandards 74 which form a part of the stationary superstructure. One end of the crank is extended beyond its support as shown in Fig. 11 and is provided with a crank lever 75 which has an upwardly projecting pivot The connecting links previously referred to, as beingpivoted at one end to the main rocker frame, are individually attached to these several pivots 7 6 as shown in Fig. a so that operatedat the same time to elevate or depress their respective cross-over rails.

The two carriages, whichare adaptedto elevate the cross-over rail 66, are connected by means of links 57 and 58 with the main main rocker frame'46 is oscillated through an arc of 180 degrees at each throwing of the switch lever and it is apparent, there fore, that as one cross-over rail is elevated the cross-over rail is lowered to establish the switch and vice versa. The elevation of either cross-over rail is su'tficient to permit clearance for the-collector mechanism and the guiding truck mechanism mounted on the railway car.

The two rails and their operating carriages are furthermore suitably balanced in order to insure a minimum of required lifting force. Itis'obvious thatfthough the illustrations show movable cross-over rail sections, as operated by a manually operable system of cranks, that the operation might be otherwise accomplished and this invention is of course not limited to the exact structure shown.

As shown, the entire switch mechanism is so constructed that when the lower traction cross-over rail is operated to make the crossover the corresponding overhead guide rail section is lowered ,to'establish the switch, and the other guide rail cross-over section is elevated out of the way.

What I claim is:

1. In a railway switch mechanism, in combination, stationary traction rail sections, interposed switch-over rail sections movable horizontally to make or break the between the stationary rail sections, stationary overhead guiding rail sections, interposed switch-over rail sections movable vertically to make or break the gap between the stationary guiding rail section.

2. In a switch-over for a railway system comprising stationary traction rails and stationary overhead guiding rails, a movable cross over section for each set of rails, the

tablish the crossover.

overhead cross-over section mounted for movement vertically, the traction rail crossover section mounted for movement hori- -zontally, means for simultaneously shifting said cross-over sections to make or break the switch in the stationary rail sections in which they are respectively interposed.

3. In a switch-over for a monorail railway system comprising lower stationary traction rail sections andpairs of stationary substantially parallel} overhead guiding rail sections, a movable cross-over lnterposedto make or break the gap between the stationary traction rail sections, a movable cross-over interposed to make or break the" gap between the pairs of overhead guiding rail sections, means for simultaneously shifting said" cross-overs.

4. In a monorail railway system having a single traction rail, in combination with a 6. In a railway system having stationary overhead guiding rails comprising a main line and a diverging line, a pair of vertically movtble cross-over rails one for each line so mounted as to be lowered into position to establish the cross-over and elevated to disestablish the cross-over, said pair of cross-over rails so mounted that as one rail is elevated the other rail is automatically lowered. 1 a 7 V 7. In a switch-over for a'monorail railway system having stationary traction: rail sections, overhead stationaryv guiding rail sections, a pair of cross-over rail sections for said overhead rails, said cross-over sections adapted to be individuallylowered to establish a cross-over, a pairof crossover rail sections for said traction ra-ils mounted for lateral movement to establish a crossover, means for shifting said traction rail crossover sections laterally to establish a cross-over simultaneously with the lowering of either overhead cross-over rail to es V tablish a corresponding crossover.-

8. In a monorail railway system having a traction rail and overhead guiding rails, in combination, stationary traction rail sections, a movable rail section interposed therebetween to establish and disestablish' the crossover, stationary overhead guiding rail sections, a vertically movable rail section interposed therebetween toestablish and disestablish the crossover:

9. In a monorail railway system having a traction rail and overhead guiding rails,in combination, stationary traction rail sections, a movable rail section interposed there- 'between to establish and disestablish the cross-over, stationary overhead guiding rail sections, a'vertically movable rail section interposed tlierebetween to establish and'disestablish the cross-over, and means operable to simultaneously establish and disestablish ,,75 In testimony whereof, I sign this "speci- 7 said cross-overs.

fication. 7 7 ERLINQYEN; 

